Being back in uniform suits Arizona Diamondbacks’ Steve Sax

It had been nearly 20 years since Steve Sax last wore a major league uniform. When he put it on again this year as one of the newest members of the Diamondbacks coaching staff, Sax admits it made him get just a little emotional.

“I felt like a kid again,” the 53-year-old said. “Every day when I come to the park, it’s like a dream come true.”

A five-time All-Star and former Silver Slugger and National League Rookie of the Year, Sax joined the Diamondbacks in December as their first base coach.

Though he has no prior coaching experience and hasn’t been directly involved in baseball since retiring following the 1994 season, he did spend the past several years as a sort of “life coach” for business owners and entrepreneurs.

He’s been a motivational speaker and has helped multiple corporations, including many Fortune 500 companies. Sax recently authored a book on the subject and about his life called “Shift: Change Your Mindset and you Change Your World.”

“I’ve been thinking about getting back in the game for a few years and it’s been a real goal of mine because baseball has always been something I’ve loved,” he said. “It’s always been in my blood. When this opportunity came about, I was very happy about it and I’m just grateful to be back in the game.”

Sax said he was sold on working for the Diamondbacks from the moment he met with Managing General Partner Ken Kendrick and club President Derrick Hall. Of course, he already knew manager Kirk Gibson, having been teammates during the Dodgers’ 1988 World Series championship season.

Sax was on deck when Gibson hit his famous pinch-hit home run to win Game1 against the Oakland A’s.

“I feel very humbled just to be a part of this staff,” he said. “When you think about all the great men we have on it and just what Gibby did in his career, not to mention guys like (bench coach) Alan Trammell and (hitting coach) Don Baylor and (pitching coach) Charles Nagy, who also had a very good career.

“Everyone here in the same page and it starts at the top with Mr. Kendrick and Derrick Hall and then all the way down. It’s like I used to tell these companies, ‘Speed of the leader, speed of the team.’ That really does go hand in hand with a baseball team.”

Sax looks around and points to how every detail is covered in Arizona’s spring-training camp. Every minute is allotted for something useful. Like a successful business, he said, the Diamondbacks run things “extremely efficient.”

Gibson said Sax has fit in great but that “he’s got a lot on his plate.” He’s learning every day on the job and, as he makes his own progressions as a first-year coach, more responsibilities are coming his way.

“He works hard and he’s prepared, for sure,” Gibson said.

Trammell calls Sax a “sponge” who is always eager to soak up more knowledge.

“He’s got a lot of energy, too, and that’s always a welcome addition,” Trammell said. “I always admired the way he went about his business as a player because he played the game the right way. He’s only been here a short time, but I’ve enjoyed working with him and listening to him and hearing some of his presentation skills.

“You can tell he was a motivational speaker because he’s really good at it and hey, it comes with the territory around here.”

Sax knows he will make his share of mistakes as he eases into his first coaching gig in the majors. But he’s learning something new seemingly every single day and that can’t hurt.

“Just like anything else, the more you do it and the more you repeat it, the better you get,” he said. “Whether it’s scouting reports, working with video or making sure the signs are all down, you just keep at and keep at it.

“I’ll make mistakes, but I know one thing: I will give the same 100 percent as I did when I played. I guarantee that’s going to happen. And I’ll be 100 percent prepared. I know that will happen, too.”

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